The Fifth International Conference on J.R.R. Tolkien's Invented Languages, Omentielva Lempea, is inviting participation in an Elvish Haiku Contest open to entries in either Quenya or Sindarin. The deadline for entries is July 31, 2013. So if Elvish linguistics are your thing, you have a couple of weeks to come up with a masterpiece worthy of Matsuo Basho!

Here are the rules for the competition, and instructions on how you can enter:

1. The haiku must be written in either Quenya or Sindarin. 2. An English translation must be provided. 3. The topic is free. Still, although the topic is free, please do not write about legendary topics (even from Tolkien's tales). A haiku is about the world around you and the present time. 4. Each participant can submit a maximum of two haiku. 5. With your haiku, please provide your full name and address (even if you write under a pen-name, the organisers must know who you are). 6. The haiku must be written in the body of the mail — no mail attachments.

Once you've completed your haiku e-mail it to the people at Omentielva Lempea (not us here at TORn!). The competition address is: haiku@omentielva.com.

How judging works

The haiku received will be distributed on anonymous lists to the participants of the Conference and they will be invited to vote. The organisers of this contest may submit, but will not be allowed to vote.

Announcement of winners

The results will be announced at the conference, and afterwards on this webpage. The 3 best haiku will be rewarded with a small gift, and will be published with the conference proceedings in the fifth volume of Arda Philology.